Limitless drones showcased at Industrial Supplier Trade Show

Logan Rode hopes his latest flying drone creates a big buzz when it lands at the Naden Drill Hall during the Sept. 17  CFB Esquimalt Industrial Supplier Trade Show.

“We are really excited about coming to CFB Esquimalt and connecting with military and department of defence staff,” says Rode.

“It’s a great opportunity for our company to do some networking and get some feedback from people in the military about our product.”

The X-Bot, a remote controlled, unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and a consumer grade drone will be showcased by the 35-year-old Victoria-born entrepreneur at the trade show.

Rode is founder and president of ProPhotoUAV Technology Corp.

He describes his company’s latest invention – the X-Bot- as a “sophisticated eye in the sky” or “flying robot”, and sees it as key development in the rapidly-expanding field of UAVs.

“It’s definitely not a fad; the X-Bot is the next wave in high-tech, compact flying technology,” he says.

Rode warns the X-Bot is not to be confused with increasingly popular recreational UAVs used by amateur hobbyists, and adds it can be used to perform a variety of tasks.

“The sky is the limit in terms of applications of this technology for military, emergency services and search and rescue purposes,” says Rode.

“Unfortunately, most of the media coverage surrounding UAV’s has been primarily focused on the negative aspects of this technology such as privacy issues, but the X-Bot doesn’t really fall into that category.”

The X-Bot is not a toy, he says.  

It was designed to capture high-resolution video, infrared, thermal and other images, and can be controlled from a tablet, Google maps or a standard handheld controller.

The four-quad prop UAV features a three-axis stabilized gyro for the delivery of stable HD images.

Its body is made of light carbon fiber and normally weighs about five kilograms, depending on the payload. It has a wingspan of 60 centimetres and folds up easily for storage.

Another key feature is the X-Bot’s sophisticated payload release system, which he says has “limitless” uses.

He explains the X-Bot enables its operator to drop life-saving medicine or supplies, instructions, or other items to people located in remote or tricky places to reach.

“Our main intention in building this system was to create a device that could potentially save a life,” says Rode.

Rode began building UAVs four years ago after developing devices in the electrical trades program at Camosun College.

He started ProPhoto UAV in 2013 and has sold his products, mostly online, to buyers from across Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Rode said the X-Bot normally retails between $10,000 to $15,000, depending on the nature of the payload and equipment on board.

For more information go to www.prophotouav.com

Peter Mallett
Staff writer